The City of Richmond is reducing its financial contribution to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games by 40 per cent "in recognition of the global downturn".
The budget for celebrations was originally $10 million and has been slashed to $6.3 million.
The most important change is moving the O Zone, Richmond's official 2010 Games celebration site, to the centre of the city from its original site along the Fraser River near the speed skating oval.
The new location is the Minoru civic precinct, including Richmond's city hall, cultural centre and Minoru park.
The river site had included a waterfront main stage, an outdoor skating rink, public art, and "nation houses" representing numerous Olympic participants.
City spokesman Ted Townsend said the attractions from the riverside site would not be cut. It was decided to move the O Zone's location, he said, because the centre of Richmond could handle large crowds more easily and with less investment and expense than the largely undeveloped riverside.
"We were able to save money this way without sacrificing the program," he said.
